I have recently tried to develop a load in my marlin 45-70 using 460gr hard cast with gas checks. Ouch ouch ouch, I learned my lesson.
I still have a bunch of these bullets laying around and need to shoot them at something, but I want to use less power obviously.
Knowing that the 45-70 has three different power levels; trapdoor, modern lever gun, and ruger #1 would I be safe to load these bullets with less powder than the minimum recommended by the manufacturer? I've fired these rounds at the lowest recommended setting for a marlin 1895 and they were still too much.
Would I be safe if I loaded the rest of them up at 5.0 grains under the lowest recommended level? I've heard that too little powder actually causes significantly more pressure, but seeing as this is a 45-70 would I just be stepping into the lower power level or would I be doing something entirely unsafe?
I could use some advice from people with more experience than I have.